Winnipeg | 185 Smith St | Smith Street Lofts | Completed - Page 10

DancingDuck · #**181** Posted **May 14, 2021, 4:04 AM**

A little TLC on the bricks would have made a big difference, but still looks leagues better than how it did before. I'm still not entirely sold on the balconies though, the bare grey concrete really stands out...

Went past there the other day and it looked like there was either a pile driver or larger drilling machine on the parking lot to the south. There's been no renderings or much in the way of offial information about this project, but I think someone on here mentioned a parking structure was part of this? Perhaps that is starting now that renos on the building itself are finishing up.

Biff · #**182** Posted **May 14, 2021, 1:24 PM**

^^^Parkade

optimusREIM · #**183** Posted **May 14, 2021, 1:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biff

^^^Parkade

Is it going to be a bland front and create a wall on the street, or are they planning on having a CRU or two?

Biff · #**184** Posted **May 14, 2021, 1:38 PM**

I haven't seen a render of the parkade, so I am not sure.

3de14eec6a · #**185** Posted **Jun 15, 2021, 5:41 PM**

Finally starting on the west side.
Also, the balcony railings look to be done on the east. I thought someone had already snapped a pic so I didn't bother. May next time I'm out by foot.

Wpg_Guy · #**186** Posted **Jul 28, 2021, 2:41 PM**

https://www.instagram.com/p/CR35E_AgeDP/

prairiedog007 · #**187** Posted **Jul 28, 2021, 5:40 PM**

What an amazing view point, thanks for sharing

sleepyeyed · #**188** Posted **Jul 28, 2021, 8:21 PM**

some renders of the parkade in here: https://www.winnipegcommercialrealtors.ca/files/property/6950000/6951769/26713292_Smith_185_CRU.pdf

trueviking · #**189** Posted **Jul 28, 2021, 8:28 PM**

they need to make an actual enforceable bylaw that says no parkades fronting sidewalks in downtown.

esquire · #**190** Posted **Jul 28, 2021, 8:46 PM**

That's a pretty big parkade. I wonder if it's just for residents of the building or are they intending to support any other buildings/developments with it?

I know no one loves parkades but it's hard to complain about this one given that there has been a vacant lot next door for as far back as I can remember. Anything is an improvement over that, and at least this provides an amenity that might make the renovation viable. More importantly, it includes CRUs on the main floor. That block of Smith from York to St. Mary could end up being one of the only ones downtown lined with retail businesses and restaurants from one end to the other.

buzzg · #**191** Posted **Jul 28, 2021, 9:46 PM**

Zoom in on the parkade render - the main floor is parking with a chain link fence in front of it.

peg · #**192** Posted **Jul 28, 2021, 10:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzg

Zoom in on the parkade render - the main floor is parking with a chain link fence in front of it.

Ugh... are there not rules against this?

I remember there being a discussion about this on another thread.

I looked at the downtown Winnipeg zoning by-law and I believe there is a provision against that, although I could definitely be misinterpreting.

Section 230(1.5) (b):

enclosed parking is separated from public right-of-ways (other than back lanes)
by other land uses, such as residential or commercial space.

Page 27 of the Downtown Winnipeg zoning by-law.

peg · #**193** Posted **Jul 28, 2021, 10:55 PM**

Full image. Don't get me wrong, I do like how it fills the street and adds to the street edge. But I would 100% prefer a usable space on the street edge over parking with nice bushes. Especially considering how wide that lot is.

3de14eec6a · #**194** Posted **Jul 29, 2021, 1:39 AM**

lol at the scale of the balconies in that render. They're maybe 1/3 of that

esquire · #**195** Posted **Jul 29, 2021, 12:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzg

Zoom in on the parkade render - the main floor is parking with a chain link fence in front of it.

Ouch. The way that space is lit in the rendering I thought it was showing CRUs. That is a bit disappointing.

buzzg · #**196** Posted **Jul 29, 2021, 4:35 PM**

Anyone know if it’s been approved yet? Can we still write to councillors to oppose?

Wigglez · #**197** Posted **Jul 29, 2021, 4:39 PM**

I appreciate that the plants in front of the chain-link fence look like unaddressed weeds growing out of control. At least they're honest!

EdwardTH · #**198** Posted **Jul 29, 2021, 6:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Ouch. The way that space is lit in the rendering I thought it was showing CRUs. That is a bit disappointing.

I mean ultimately this project still adds 1 CRU to the block vs what was there before. I know we'd all love to see more streetfront units activated downtown, but in the other threads we're also discussing the dire state of businesses downtown. Who's gonna fill all these new CRUs? Is there anything in that unit across the street at 160 Smith yet? I don't see the case to throw a CRU into a parkade like this when it's hard enough to keep the units we already have filled, it will just have a "For Lease" sign on it for years. Get this built, and then maybe in 5 years the corner property to the north can be developed with CRUs if there is demand.

davequanbury · #**199** Posted **Jul 30, 2021, 1:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdwardTH

I mean ultimately this project still adds 1 CRU to the block vs what was there before. I know we'd all love to see more streetfront units activated downtown, but in the other threads we're also discussing the dire state of businesses downtown. Who's gonna fill all these new CRUs? Is there anything in that unit across the street at 160 Smith yet? I don't see the case to throw a CRU into a parkade like this when it's hard enough to keep the units we already have filled, it will just have a "For Lease" sign on it for years. Get this built, and then maybe in 5 years the corner property to the north can be developed with CRUs if there is demand.

I appreciate your realism here, but even a temporarily empty CRU is better than a parkade for the rest of time. Once you build the parkade without main floor CRUs, you're stuck with it that way.

3de14eec6a · #**200** Posted **Jul 30, 2021, 1:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdwardTH

Who's gonna fill all these new CRUs? Is there anything in that unit across the street at 160 Smith yet?

Nope, 160 still has two empty CRUs - I have no idea how they plan to fill the windowless corner unit. Someone else mentioned that it's a useless space.

190 just fit up their northmost unit, though at half the size of what it was. So they just have one small space left unused along Smith.